The latest Ubuntu long-term support release arrived last month. Xenial Xerus, as it’s called, will receive security updates and bug fixes for the next five years. This makes it the ideal version for people who value a stable, predictable system.

Ubuntu’s desktop experience hasn’t changed all that much since the last LTS, version 14.04. But there are several key changes worth getting excited about for desktop and server users alike. Whether you’re upgrading for the first time in two years or moving up from 15.10, let’s have a look.

This is the way many people felt Canonical should have implemented the feature all along. Changing things could be taken as a concession, but it also frees the company up to focus more energy on Unity 8. That next version of Ubuntu’s user interface is set to make an appearance in Ubuntu 16.10.

2. Bye-Bye Ubuntu Software Center

Canonical developed its own centralized app store in 2009. The Ubuntu Software Center hasn’t changed much since then. Well, not in a positive way. It has grown slower over time, frustrating many users.

Now the Ubuntu Software Center is gone. In its place we have GNOME Software. This package manager comes straight from the GNOME project, freeing Canonical to focus on other work.

For technical background, the Ubuntu Software Center was a front-end to APT/dpkg. GNOME Software uses PackageKit, which itself is a front-end to whichever package management system a distro uses. That’s why you also see it on RPM-based systems, like Fedora.

3. Always Show Application Menus

Some might say Unity’s interface feels Mac-inspired. But while both desktop environments use global menus, Ubuntu’s only appear when you hover your mouse over the top panel. With 16.04, that changes. If you want your menus to be always visible, you can have it that way. The option is now available in System Settings.

For several releases, Ubuntu has provided the option to place menus in the titlebar instead. This change affects that as well. Leaving the menu visible in each application’s windows is a cool way to combine old-school functionality with a modern look.

Always showing the application menu isn’t merely an aesthetic change. Under Ubuntu’s default settings, first-time users may not know where options are located or that they even exist. Enabling this feature removes that discoverability issue.

4. Move Launcher to the Bottom

On today’s widescreen monitors, it makes logical sense to put the dock of the side of the screen. You have more horizontal than vertical pixels to work with.

But logic isn’t everything. Try as I might, I often find panels or docks anchored to the side to be off-putting. It’s nice having the option to move them around.

In Ubuntu 16.04, Unity finally gives you a choice. Kind of. You don’t need to install anything to make the magic happen, but you won’t find an option in System Settings. Instead, open a terminal and type:

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Launcher launcher-position Bottom

If you decide that maybe the side suited you better, don’t fret. You can return the dock to its old position with a slightly different command.

5. Feeling Snappy?

Snap packages are Canonical’s new way of distributing apps. They take a different approach than what we’re accustomed to on Linux desktops. Snaps contain binaries and dependencies.

Why? This helps guarantee that apps which work now will continue to work in several years. A developer knows that if the package they distribute contains everything needed to run, it’s easier to keep software in good shape.

Snaps run in isolation from the rest of your desktop. This model is like what we see on mobile devices, where apps have to request permission to perform specific types of activities.

Both filesystems are copy-on-write, allowing you to efficiently create snapshots of your machine. They also manage multiple physical storage devices better than previous options.

ZFS is more mature than BTRFS and already common in production environments. The issue is that ZFS is licensed under the CDDL v1, which may not be compatible with the GPL v2 (used by the Linux kernel). This may ultimately be for courts to decide. Either way, the conflict concerns distribution of code — using it won’t land you in any trouble.

I would not recommend upgrading to 16.04. After rebooting, I don't see my account on the login screen anymore. Only the account of the administrator (who is on vacation) and a guest account. Could not fix it on my own. Such things are frustrating and confirm what I should have considered: NEVER UPGRADE WITHOUT A GOOD REASON!

Using ubuntu 16.04 since 15 days on my dell 5559. it looks great. Just lack of an update for Radeon graphic driver. Still am trying to install Linkedin, facebook and one drive, hope these updates will be available shortly.

Completely agree. I made the switch from 14.04 today and I am amazed how smooth it was. I did an image of my disk with dd before the upgrade though, just in case. But I'm pleasantly surprised how smooth the upgrade actually was. Honestly, I don't see much of a difference, but let's home it's stable and reliable.

I upgraded from 14.04LTS to 16.04LTS yesterday and have now run it for 24 hours. First impression - GOOD!. Ubuntu is definitely moving in the right direction and I now use it much more than I use Windows 10, which is also a good product. But, I now prefer Ubuntu.
The upgrade was super-smooth, and it runs like butter on my old dual core AMD system.
Thank you Ubuntu, fabulous work.

I will NOT upgrade to 16.04. I will stay on 14.04. Why? Because I see the lack of support for l2tp ipsec manager as a major issute that will block my work. Yes I am not interested of doing this work manually because I want this kind of thing GUI-based. Why? Because this is the major difficult thing easy to do as a normal user.

I dropped Ubuntu years ago because of the issues described in this article -- along with many more. I am just happy to see Ubuntu now going in the right direction!! Keep up the good work. I am just sad it took so many years to make these simple changes that, at the time, EVERYONE, but the anointed few knew were bad ideas.

As I understand it Windows programs used to include all dependencies resulting in multiple copies eating up memory & slowing down the computer. Linux programs called dependencies from the operating system & was considered more streamlined, compact & light weight. If Snappy is following the old Windows approach, how is this an improvement?

What Snap packages allow is running the latest version of software on a stable (well bug fixed) distro release such as *buntu LTS.
Such as the latest version of a browser, not an earlier and therefore more vulnerable one.

Why.... Why.... Why.... did you NOT!!!!!!!!! make this clear to an unsuspecting novice... and make this the first download that people on the Ubuntu website???????????
Really.... Not a great way to encourage new users to switch!!!

I am using Ubuntu Mate 16.04. It is a bit buggy for a LTS release but stlll a very good OS that I am sure will improve over time. The first thing I did was add Synatpic which is still available on the Mate Edition. Right now I dual boot Ubuntu and Debian. Ubuntu is a bit easier to use and with the PPA's features more software that is easier to install.

Bertel is an RVA-based writer who has covered consumer tech for over five years. With a BA in History and Government from the College of William and Mary, he is as comfortable helping others understand digital rights and policy as he is reviewing apps.